Jaz’s breath caught as she stared up at him. At the utter deadly seriousness of his features that stilled and waited while the impact of his words—of the truth—found their marks. Because Liam was right. Somehow, while she thought he was looking at her as little more than a project, he’d managed to see into her soul and find her true calling. An identity that fit her inner flame the way nothing else did. And one she’d never understood before.
“You…you would really let me take charge of the search and rescue?” Jaz whispered. “Of the climbers going out into the mountains?”
He didn’t blink an eye. Didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
“Don’t you need to ask other people first?”
“Being the owner comes with perks. Getting to hire who I want when I want is one of those.”
Jaz blew out a long breath, her mind spinning. “I could build up my own cadre?” She couldn’t believe she was really considering this. “Make the decisions? Plan the rescue routes?”
“Yes.” Again, there was no hesitation.
She swallowed. “And what if I make a decision with which you disagree? Are you going to stride in and pull me off a case because you want to keep me safe?”
Liam tilted his head, considering the question for a few heartbeats before answering. “I have control of the company and the ultimate responsibility for everyone who works there. So yes, I’ll have the power to yank you back if I think it needs to be done. But it would be no different from how I’d treat Kyan or Aiden or anyone else if they were in the same position. Is that fair?”
That actually was fair, and everything inside Jaz tingled with a mix of hope and excitement that neither Vector’s nor Titans’ offers had. What Liam proposed, it was perfect for her. He was giving her the mountains. Her friends in Denton Valley. Her destiny. All she needed to do was say yes.
And then to work with Liam day in and day out. To be near him, without being with him. Because he wasn’t part of the deal.
I’m not the man you need, and you’re certainly not the woman I want.
A weight settled around her chest, closing her throat. “I can’t do this,” she whispered. “Liam, thank you. Truly. You offered me the world. But I can’t accept it. I’m sorry.”
Silence filled the room, loud as thunder.
Liam’s jaw tightened.
Jaz turned her back to him, her eyes overfilling. “Can you please leave now?”
She could hear him shifting his feet. Stepping away. Stopping. “I love you.”
Jaz froze, Liam’s words startling her so much that she forgot to control the tears that now spilled onto her cheeks.
“I love you,” Liam repeated into her back. “I tried not to. Hell, until I met you, I didn’t think I was even capable of falling in love. But then you came into my life and changed all the rules. And then, I was so terrified that I shoved you away. It was stupid. I was stupid. I still am, aren’t I?” He sucked in a breath and exhaled on a long, slow stream of air that made a swooshing sound between his teeth. “Anyway. I imagine none of that matters to you now, but I still wanted you to know the whole truth of it before you make the decision to walk out of my life.”
Jaz turned slowly, shocked to find Liam’s eyes glistening as he looked at her.
“What did you say?” she whispered, her heart still.
Liam lifted his face, owning his words. “I love you, Jaz Keasley. I don’t just want you to work with me, I want you to be with me. Forever.”
Jaz’s stilled heart resumed its pounding, sending warmth to every part of her body. She didn’t notice taking the few steps to cover the floor between them. All she knew was that one moment she was staring at his vulnerable, beautiful face, and the next, she was right beside him, her hands spread over his chest. “I love you too, Liam,” she whispered. “And I want to be with you. More than anything.”
He closed his eyes for a moment as a blissful peace came over his features, then lowered his face toward hers, gently brushing her lips with his own.
Jaz’s lips parted, and she stood on her toes to meet his deepening kiss with her own.
42
Aiden
“When the targets turn, you will have five seconds to draw your weapon and fire four rounds,” the voice from range control announced over Aiden’s headset. He shifted into his firing stance, his hand ready to snatch the Glock from his holster. In the back of his mind, ghosts of memories that were never far from his consciousness nowadays continued to play like an old movie.
He was in the woods of the Scottish Highlands, his uniform devoid of anything to connect him back to the Scottish Black Watch. It had recently rained, and there was heavy moisture in the air. The smell of wet earth and bark. He moved quietly through the darkness, high-night-vision scope showing the world in shades of black and green. He was alone.
Except he wasn’t.
But by the time he figured that out, it had been too late.
Aiden’s headphones crackled, the voice from the tower filling his ears again. “Is the line ready?”
Though Aiden couldn’t see behind him, he knew the range safety officers were looking up and down the line and giving the tower a thumbs-up to indicate it was safe to continue. The outdoor range Liam contracted for Trident Security was stringent on safety protocols.
“The line is ready,” the tower announced. “Shooters, watch your targets.”
He was in the woods of the Scottish Highlands, his uniform devoid of anything to connect him back to the Scottish Black Watch. It had recently rained, and there was heavy moisture in the air. The smell of wet earth and—
The target turned to present itself, and Aiden’s mind cleared, his focus entirely on the target silhouette. He drew his weapon. Fired into paper.
Pow pow.
Pow pow.
Done with a second to spare before the target turned away again, all the rounds hitting the center. Aiden holstered his gun and awaited the next instruction, the concentration muting the memories. There was a catharsis to the firing range. To its simple, precise mission.
Mind the target. Find the front sight. Smooth weapon draw. Smooth trigger pull. Smooth reload. Repeat.
Aiden needed the firing range’s respite more than usual today, thanks to the call from his mother in Scotland. Turned out that Briar and Cassey—his twin cousins who’d moved to the States as kids—were getting out of Delta Force in a few months. Surely Aiden would be happy to host them while they figured out what to do next with their lives? Maybe he could even put in a good word with Trident Security? And wouldn’t it be fun to have the boys all together?
Aiden had left the bloody continent to get away from his family. Their questions. And they somehow were managing to get their snares right back around him. Didn’t the damn Delta Force have some kind of transition back to civilian life program? Didn’t Briar and Cassey have anything better to do than track Aiden to Denton Valley, Colorado?
“All right, shooters. This ends our course of fire,” the tower announced all too soon. “Clear your guns and holster a safe and empty weapon. Ensure your name is logged so we can record your qualification scores.”
He was in the woods of the Scottish Highlands, his uniform devoid of anything to connect him back to the Scottish Black Watch. It had recently rained, and the air—